A jumping castle involved in the deaths of six children will be re-inflated and examined by experts as part of the operator’s defence against alleged safety breaches.
Zane Mellor, Peter Dodt, Jalailah Jayne-Maree Jones, Addison Stewart, Jye Sheehan and Chace Harrison died in December 2021 when the castle became airborne at Hillcrest Primary School during end-of-year celebrations.
Coronial inquest preparations were paused after Rosemary Anne Gamble, the operator of the company that set up the castle, was charged with workplace health and safety breaches.
She has pleaded not guilty and is expected to face a two-week hearing in Devonport Magistrates Court in northwest Tasmania in November.
On Wednesday, coroner Olivia McTaggart granted a request from Gamble’s lawyer Christopher Dockray for the castle to be re-inflated and examined by two experts.
Dockray told the court the examination, to be carried out in August at an undisclosed location closed to the public, was “essential” to Gamble’s defence.
Lawyers representing families of the children who were killed and injured in the incident didn’t oppose the request but stressed evidence must be preserved.
The court was told the castle, under custody of the coroner, would be videoed during transportation, re-inflation and deflation.
The castle will also be examined by a police officer and subsequent 3D mapping will be provided to the coroner.
McTaggart said replacement pegs would be used to erect the castle if the integrity of the original pegs couldn’t be maintained.
According to court documents, seven students were on the castle when a “significant” weather event occurred, causing it to become dislodged.
They fell from the castle, while a blower attached to the castle to keep it inflated struck a nearby student.
Gamble allegedly failed to ensure the anchorage system was sufficient to prevent the castle from lifting.
She also failed to ensure there was a peg at each anchor point in line with the manufacturer’s instructions, it is alleged.
It is claimed the castle was tethered at four of its eight anchorage points and pegs were not installed at the recommended 45-degree angle.
Gamble arrived at the school with two workers and set up the castle and zorb balls.
She is accused of failing to provide the workers with information including the manufacturer’s operating manual.
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Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800.
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